Bedclothes-supporting device.



No. 868,037. A PATENTED 00T. 15, 19o?.

' E. L. TYRRBLL.

I BBDcLoTH'Es SUPPORTING DEVICE. l APPLIUATION FILED 001217; 1806.

2 SHEETS-BHBET 2.

ELMER LLEWLYN TYRRELL, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

BEDCLOTHES-SUPPORTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed October] 7, 1906. Serial N0- 339,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER LLEWLYN TYRRELL, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at Gloversville,

in the county of Fulton and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bedclothes-Supporting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved bedclothes supporting device, especially adapted for use in hospitals and designed particularly for supporting and holding the. bed covering in an elevated position so that it will not come in contact with the limbs or body of the patient, and the object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, easily operated and highly eflicient device for the purposes named.

With these briefly stated objects in View, my invention comprises certain details of construction and peculiar combination and arrangements of parts as will be fully set forth in the following specification and pointed out in the claims, reference being hadA to the accompanying drawings, in which, i

Figure l. represents my device in position upon the foot of a bed. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation drawn through one end of the device. Fig. 3 is a detail front view of one side of the device. Fig. 4 is a detail section drawn on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the clamping bolts. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the bracket connected to a supplemental support; in this view the said support is shown connected to both of the side rails of the bed, and Fig. 9 is a detail side elevation illustrating the supplemental support connected to one of the side rails of the bed. Figs. 10 and l1 are detail views of the base to which the ends of the supplemental support are connected and Fig. I2 illustrates a form of base used when my device is connected to beds having round or tubular side rails.

In carrying out my invention, I employ two clamps proper A, constructed especially for engagement with the foot-rail of a bed but which may be readily adapted for engagement with the side rails of a bed. Each clamp comprises two blocks B, and BQ having centrally disposed semi-circular recesses B2, in which are held suitable felt or rubber cushions B3, that engage the rail of the bed, and prevent defacement thereof. Each block also has its ends perforated, for the reception of clamping bolts C, and C, by which bolts sliding brackets D and the blocks are secured in position.

The brackets D, are substantially L-shaped, and the vertical portion D@ of each is longitudinally slotted as at D2, and upon each side of the slots is a slight depression which forms a race-Way or groove D3, in which are adapted to fit and slide non-circular head-portions E, of clamping bolts C. Communicating with the raceway of the brackets are a series of grooves D4, formed in,

the face of the vertical members D, and in these grooves, the heads F, of the T-shaped bolts C, are adapted to fit. This arrangement of clamping the brackets to the block B, permits of a ready adjustment thereof without necessitating the complete removal or dissembling of the device as a whole, and it will be readily seen that by loosing the thumb-nuts G-G, upon the bolts, the brackets may be moved up or down as occasion requires. It may be stated, however, that in adjusting the brackets, it is only necessary to slightly loosen the thumb nuts upon the bolts C, and only necessary to loosen the nuts upon the bolts C, enough to permit the heads to be dislodged from the grooves when the brackets may be adjusted to the proper height, and then by tightening the nuts upon the bolts, the clamps and brackets are simultaneously clamped in position.

To the free ends of the horitontal members D5, of the brackets is pivoted a frame H, that is designed to support the bed-clothes, and this frame is substantially U- shaped in construction and has one or more connecting members H, which extend across the frame and connect the side members thereof. The extreme ends of the horizontal members, are perforated to receive bolts which also pass through the perforated ends of the brackets.

By pivotally connecting the frame to the brackets, the former may be readily swung over to lie in a suspended position in front of the foot of the bed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l of the drawing, where it will be completely out of the way while the injured limb or body of the patient is being dressed, and when desired for use, it may be readily swung over the bed, in which position the sides of the frame engage shoulder portions D, formed at the top of the vertical members which will support it in a horizontal position.

As before stated, my device is particularly adapted for use in hospitals for supporting the bed-clothing and preventing the latter engaging the injured limb or body of the patient, and in operation when the device is adjusted in position as shown in Fig. l of the drawing, the end of the blanket is stretched across the frame where it will be held from engagement with the limb or body of the patient and as is generally the case in such devices, a second blanket is thrown over the frame, and foot of the bed to prevent a circulation of air or a draft striking the patient. y

In view 8 I illustrate my device supported by a supplemental frame I, substantially U-sh aped and the ends of the parallel portions are threaded to fit into threaded sockets I/ carried by the base portion I2, said base portions being substantially U-'shaped to fit over the side rails of the bed and are held in position by clamp screws I2.

In Fig. l2, I illustrate a base .I such as is used .upon

tubular bed rails. A supplemental fra-me is employed when it is desired to litt the bed-clothing from the body of the patient or When the device is used as a book rest or table as will be readily apparent.

From the foregoing, it will readily be seen that I employ an exceedingly cheap, simple, and highly efficient device for the purpose stated7 and While I have shown the device arranged upon the foot-rail of a bed to support the blanket above the feet, it will be understood, the device may be as easily adjusted 4upon the side-rail to support the blanket and bed covering from contact with the body or arms of a patient.

Having thus fully described my invention7 what I claim new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a device ot the kind described, the combination with clampingl members. of L-shaped brackets, the vertical portion of the L-shaped brackets havingl a slot, a race-wav surrounding the slot, and grooves communicatingl with the race-way, bolts extending' through the clamping members. one set of bolts having a non-circular head, that are adapted to tit the race-Way, and the other set ot bolts having T-heads, which lit the grooves, and a frame pivotally connected to the horizontal portion of the brackets.

2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a bed-rail, ot' clamps having the semi-circular portions to tit the rail, and perforated ends, L-shaped brackets connected to the clampingl members, said brackets having' their vertical members slotted, the front face provided with a race-way, and grooves communicatingwith the race-way, bolts for connectingl the brackets to the clamping; members, and the clamping,r members to the bed-rail, one set, ot bolts having non-circular heads to tit the race-way and the other set of bolts having T-heads to tit the grooves. said bolts projecting through the slots ot the brackets and the pertorations oi the clamping membersy nuts operating upon the bolts and bearing' against the opposite member of each clamp, and a trame pivotally connected to the horizontal portions oi' the brackets, substantially as specitied.

3. In a device of the kind described, tibo combination with clamping members designed to tit the rail of a bed. ot' brackets held to the members, said brackets havinglslots and race-Ways adjacent the slots, and grooves communicat ing with the race-ways, a shoulder formed upon the brachets, bolts engaging the brackets and clamping' members. and a frame pivotally connected to the brackets and adapted to rest upon the shoulders of the bracket when in an operative position.

l-. ln a device of the character described, a tubular supporting frame comprising a horizontal portion. and oppositeiy disposed perpendicular portions, clampingl members ior engaging the side rails of a bed, located on the extremities of said perpendicular portions, clamping members having their inner faces recessed and cushioned to tit the horizontal portion of said trame, brackets havin;l centralliv disposed longitudinal slots formed therein, id brackets also having' recesses t'ormed in their' outer es and sul'- rounding said slots, and transverse grooves communicating with said slots, bolts extending through said clampingl members and said brackets. one set ot bolts havin: heads adapted to work in said recesses and the other set ot' bolts having`- heads adapted to tit in said transverse grooves and a frame pivotally connected to the bracket. substantially as described.

ELMER LLEWLYN ',lYIlltllLl..

Witnesses Dona Uf. Rom-airs, Aonns M. (10m-1. 

